After massive Uxbridge mill fire, officials organize help for business owners

Monday

Jul 23, 2007 at 12:01 AMJul 23, 2007 at 11:22 PM

As smoke rose out of the wreckage of what was once Bernat Mill, a collection of more than 65 businesses in the heart of this small town, Gov. Deval Patrick and other officials pledged to help the displaced business owners and employees.

By Matt Lych

As smoke rose out of the wreckage of what was once Bernat Mill, a collection of more than 65 businesses in the heart of this small town, Gov. Deval Patrick and other officials pledged to help the displaced business owners and employees.

State and local officials said they expected to hear late yesterday if the federal Small Business Association would grant a declaration of emergency and vowed to help the hundreds of people who have seen their livelihoods evaporate in a massive fire.

``There are gaps, I think, in what programs and assistance is available,'' said Patrick. ``We need to work to close those gaps.''

Patrick said as much as $1.5 million in low-interest loans may be available if the emergency declaration is granted, as expected.

``There is a period between applying for loans and getting them,'' he said. ``In that period, there are groceries to be bought and mortgages to be paid.''

Patrick and other local, state, and federal officials hosted an afternoon press conference in front of the smoldering heaps of brick and metal that was once a 350,000-square-foot industrial and commercial center for the town.

Officials received reports of a fire at Bernat Mill around 4 a.m. Saturday morning and witnesses reported hearing several loud ``booms'' before towers of smoke began billowing upward.

State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said it is too early for any preliminary results of what may have caused the blaze said there are no signs of arson.

``There are no red flags that would indicate arson or that the fire is suspicious,'' he said.

He did say investigators believe they know the general area where the fire began. Coan said his office will investigate the origins of the fire while Uxbridge Fire Chief Peter Ostroskey will lead the firefighting efforts.

A large section of the building collapsed, trapping fires underneath the wreckage, and firefighters are still battling the isolated pockets of fire, Ostroskey said.

``It's a little more complicated with an industrial building,'' he said.

Town Manager Jill Myers said the town has not begun calculating the cost of battling the fire but said the mill and its business generated $30,000 in tax revenue last year.

``We're not sure what we're going to do this year,'' said Myers. ``There may be special legislation for tax relief.''

Ostroskey reiterated yesterday that both air and water tests have come back relatively clean. No test has shown signs of asbestos and, although water tests showed certain elevated levels of metals and solvents, it was not in water that would be consumed by people and was not enough to hurt wildlife.

A variety of state agencies set up in Town Hall yesterday to help guide the mill's business owners and employees through the next steps, such as applying for financial assistance and requesting food stamps and other help.

Uxbridge Police spokeswoman Melanie Blodgett-O'Toole said the workshop will continue throughout the week but beginning today will be held at the Whitin Middle School on Granite Street in Uxbridge.

Residents said they are appreciative of the efforts taken by the government but that many things lost in the fire can't be replaced by loans of any kind. ``My biggest concern is keeping everybody together,'' said Patricia Miles, who owned The Looking Glass Cafe. ``Working here, it was like a family.''

Jack Tweed, who owned the mill with Cappy Fournier, spoke briefly at the press conference before tearing up and stepping away from the microphones.

``Each and every one of us is devastated,'' he said. ``Some people's father's father's hand tools were in there and are lost. That's two generations gone. It's hard to replace that.

``This is the only job I ever had in my life where I looked forward every day to coming to work,'' he said.

Ostroskey said he did not know how long the firefighting and demolition efforts would take but did say he is cutting shifts back from 24 hours a day to 16 hours a day. No one has been seriously injured in the fire, officials said.

Matt Lynch of The Milford (Mass.) Daily News can be reached at 508-634-7556 or mlynch@cnc.com.

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